Illinois Tool bought the company, Vesta, from the private equity firm Actis for an undisclosed sum.

Vesta makes Western-style cooking equipment including fryers, griddles and ovens. It operates two manufacturing facilities and employs about 900 people in China, Illinois Tool said.

About 20 percent of Glenview, Ill.-based Illinois Tool's revenue came from the geographic division that includes Asia last year, up from 8 percent in 2011. The food equipment business made up about 11 percent of its revenue.